Fighting Tradition
by Isilwen of Lorien
Summary: Why has Glorfindel been returned from the dead? Set in the second age of middle earth, this story tries to explain it.


**Fighting Tradition **

**Prologue**

**Gondolin: The year 58 of the first age.**

The young elf looked down at his newly born sister and smiled. Already she had a few strands of Golden hair. Identical in colour to his own long Golden hair that looked like it shone with the light of the sun. In fact she looked a lot like her older brother, Glorfindel, except one difference. Her eyes shone a sapphire blue where as her brother's were an emerald green.

Their proud parents watched and were pleased with their sons reaction. They had feared he would be jealous of their new child, but it was obvious that this was not so.

"Why don't you name her?" the father asked his son.

"Me?" asked Glorfindel surprised and honoured at the privilege. "Very well I will name her.." and then he paused a few seconds to think before finally deciding, "Mîrwen"

"Jewelled maiden?" asked the mother questioning the logic behind this name.

"Because of her eyes" Glorfindel explained.

And so she was named 'Mîrwen' and grew up in Gondolin like a princess.

**Gondolin: The year 96 of the first age.**

            Glorfindel held Mîrwen as she cried sadness was written all over his face. There parents had just fallen in battle together as his mother refused to leave her husbands side. But Gondolin was not what was on his mind. He had loved his parents with all his heart and when the dragon had attacked and killed them both there had been nothing he could do. And so here he stood at his parent's grave with his sister, who was only 38 and had not yet reached maturity by elf reckoning.  He was expected to inherit the city of Gondolin and he would do so. Only in his fathers memory. But there was something more important that Gondolin to Glorfindel. His sister. He would make sure to protect her, she was the only family he had left.

**Gondolin: The year 510 of the first age.**

            Gondolin had fallen. Attacked by both dragons and a Balrog the people had no choice left but to flee. Many a warrior had fallen, and there were few left. But Glorfindel had still stood strong and faced the Balrog. In the end he had been victorious, but only at the cost of his life.

The few survivors of Gondolin spread in small groups to the surrounding elven cities, the ones that were left anyway. One of them was Mîrwen who fled with a few others to the town of Imladris. She later heard the news that Glorfindel had fallen and was devastated, she had now lost all her family and friends and there was nothing left for her. Surprisingly she didn't fade. Instead she grew stronger and more determined than ever. She had to live, because if she died there would be no one living who would remember Glorfindel, the real Glorfindel and not just the warrior!

**Imladris: The year 1012 of the second age.**

            Mîrwen had been living in Imladris for a long time now. It had become her home and Elrond who had been born shortly after the destruction of Gondolin (the year 525 of the first age if you must know) became one of her closest friends. She had learnt to fight with him, despite the complaints that a lady such as herself should not fight. However they had quickly learned that arguing with Mîrwen would get them nowhere so gave in and taught her the basics of sword fighting and the use of a bow and arrow. Though her aim was terrible with the bow and arrow she far surprised all the other elves when it came to the use of a sword. She was in the training ground one day when news reached her ears that there was someone asking to meet her. She left Elrond who she had been practising with (much to his relieve as he was sick of being beaten) and went to see who this person was.

            She was heading up to the main gates of Imladris when she simply froze in shock, what she was seeing was impossible, wasn't it? But sure enougth there he was standing there as if nothing had happened to him and he hadn't fallen to his death.

            "Mîrwen!" said Glorfindel running towards his sister. All doubt fell from Mîrwen's mind. This was Glorfindel, her brother. She burst into tears off happiness and embraced her brother. She had heard of elves being reborn, given life again by the velar, but she had never believed these tales. Until now.

**Author's Note**: Sorry for the really long prologue I had a lot off stuff to cover. But now it's over I can get on in the story! I may be slow to update this story, as my main work is "It shouldn't happen to an elf lord" and this is just something I'm writing to feed my Glorfindel obsession!

Also I know Imladris (Rivendell) didn't exist until 1697 of the second age, but it's my favourite elven city (Except maybe Gondolin) so put up with it!!! Besides I needed somewhere to set my story!

Sorry for any other mistakes you may have found, just be glad I've done some research into this, instead of just making up stuff as I went along. It could be a lot worse.

Please review. Reviews make me think updating this story is worth it and will encourage more chapters. Also if you like it please try some off my other fanfiction, you might like that as well!

And finally. Even though Mîrwen is an OC (original character). She is not a Mary Sue. I have no plans to romantically involve her with any canon character.


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